ANTELOPE, Calif. — Three Antelope homes flying Pride flags have been the target of hate crimes in the last two weeks, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office. One of the homes was even targeted twice.
On Wednesday, Johanna Martinezmoles came home to a tattered and burned Pride flag at her front door.
A neighbor captured the vandals, who appeared to be a group of teenagers, on video setting the flag on fire.
"It’s violating. It’s scary that somebody comes onto your property, and this was planned," said Martinezmoles.
Days later, it happened at a neighbors house less than a mile away.
The act was caught on camera -- first on June 8 and again on June 12.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said it is investigating the incidents as hate crimes and is closely examining surveillance video that appears to show groups of masked teenagers behind the vandalism.
"Whether these guys were 13 or 43 makes no difference to us. They are targeting a very marginalized group, a very defined group that's protected under the law," said Sgt. Amar Gandhi, spokesperson with the sheriff's office.
"There's no reason for anyone to simply dismiss this as a bunch of kids playing pranks," Gandhi added.
Martinezmoles reached out to her neighbor. While they lived just a mile apart, they had never met before the incidents.
"Our hearts broke together, but now I have another ally. And we’re constantly checking in with each other, and how are you doing, and what’s going on," said Martinezmoles.
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